Gildersleeve decides to take the day off. He seems to have plenty to do, except do a chore for Birdie. Why is Leila buttering up Leroy to get to his uncle? Gildy runs an errand to the butcher shop to get a deal on a pot roast. While out, he discovers that maybe Leila isn’t so forgiving of his Halloween party incident, and he chats with the guys in the barber shop about the meat shortage. You know how serious the topic of wartime rationing is if Judge Hooker actually agrees with Gildersleeves.

While Gildersleeve does the chores Birdie had for him, tragedy strikes. Birdie is swindled out of the pot roast. As the family gets ready for dinner Birdie is in a tight spot. Marjorie goes into drama queen mode, and is moody over her latest boyfriend. Leroy is too excited over his latest war movie to care much for what’s for dinner as long as its food. What’s a sulking Gildersleeve to do? It’s off to Peavey’s to gripe about the missing roast, and women problems. Of course when put on the spot, Peavey, “wouldn’t say that.”

Where can Gildy go? Somewhere he is understood, and welcome? He finds himself at Miss Goodwins. The long conversation finally moves around to things that Gildy finds even more enjoyable than pot roast.

Afterward, Harold Peary closes with motivational words to support the war effort.